Differences
by slantedwonders
Summary: Peter kisses everyone differently and every time it means something new. Slash, het, and OT3 implications.


**Author's Notes:** It all started while I was hanging out with my very good friend _pathera_. I believe we were making dinner when she turned to me and asked a very simple question, "Do you watch White Collar?" I gave the very simple answer of: "No." She gave me this look that was a mixture of "You do now" and "What the hell is wrong with you?" and "You may be dead to me." So, Tuesday rolled around and I knew the premiere was on and I was putting of school work, so I turned it on. Ten minutes. That's all it took for that show to completely pull me in. Seriously, if you look up "addict" in the dictionary, you'll see a picture of me. And hanging out with _pathera_ has only added fuel to the fire. Between the idea bouncing that we do and the marathon we had the other day and the dream I had about Matt Bomer, I can't get this damn show out of my head. Anyway, I've got a ton of fics in the works, some of them rather indepth.

This fic is something I did to sort of get my mind off White Collar so I could focus on someting else. (Yeah. It didn't work.) I also wanted to explore the meaning of kisses. It sounds a little silly, but I have a love of forehead kisses. They have so many different meanings and can be so important. It may not be the most manly way of kissing, but I feel it fits Peter and his need to be a father/brother/protector to everyone. This story only explores four of the meanings and the first may not be the most important, but I think it sets the stage. I also love how Neal reacts in it. I also played with some background.

**Pairing:** Peter/Neal, Peter/Elizabeth, Peter/Neal/Elizabeth

**Rating: **K+ nothing but some smooching

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing! Not a thing! I am not making any money off of this! All I get out of it is a strange sense of satisfaction.

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**Differences**

Peter Burke kisses everyone differently. He has a unique and specialized kiss for everyone who requires one. His closest relative gets a peck on the check, quick and loving, a hello and a goodbye. Elizabeth gets something sweet and soft. He kisses her like he apologizes, gently and a little guiltily. He's rougher with Neal and bites his lip at least once during every encounter. He always follows this act of violence with a quick soothing kiss to the side of Neal's mouth. He strives to separate his endearments.

There is, however, a similarity. He kisses everyone he loves, at least once, on the forehead. It's a habit or a weakness, not even he is sure which. What he is sure of is that they always mean "I love you" and that they always have a second meaning, hidden behind the first.

_I love you…_

_And everything is going to be okay._

Peter has an uncle that he was particularly close to in his childhood. The man is like a second father to him and his cousin, several years younger than himself, is very much the little brother he never had. So when his uncle is diagnosed with cancer, it's a heavy blow and Peter takes to making sure his cousin is alright.

It's a Tuesday morning and Peter is sitting at his dining room table looking over case files with Neal. It's not the most interesting of the cases, but irksome enough. Neal is just about to make a comment about the name of the victim when the phone rings. Peter excuses himself to answer it. Neal waves him off and commandeers the file he was looking at.

"Oh, when?" Peter's voice is quiet and slightly shaky. Neal looks up at him. "I see. Do you want me to come over? I can take off. Alright, I'll be there in a bit." Neal's stomach sinks to the floor. This was the phone call they had all been dreading.

"Peter?" Neal says after he hangs up.

"My uncle died this morning." Neal can physically see the sorrow on Peter's face. "Jake needs me. It'll only be minute." He avoids all eye contact, even in the taxi.

When they arrive at the apartment, the cousin, Jake, is a mess. Tears stain his face and he looks like he hasn't slept in weeks. Peter introduces Neal and he gets a half hearted smile in greeting. Jake and Peter sink to the couch as Jake bursts into fresh tears. Peter puts an arm around him like any older brother would. He kisses his forehead, tucks it beneath his chin, and tries to sooth away the pain. Neal watches a single tear roll down Peter's cheek and looks away. This moment is not meant for him.

_I love you…_

_And I'm sorry._

Everything goes horrible and unforgivably wrong. When you work for white collar crimes you're not supposed to come home and find a note telling you that your wife has been kidnapped by mobsters. And the note is most certainly not supposed to be attached to a lock of her hair. This whole thing is wrong. Wrong! And Peter shouts it at Neal who takes a step back and looks as though he's actually afraid he'll get hit.

Peter stampedes back to the office with all the evidence they can find. Neal follows, agreeing and promising that they'll find Elizabeth and she'll be fine. It takes nearly ten hours, a lot of coffee, and a lot of help from Mozzie to find out where exactly they're keeping Elizabeth. Within an hour a full team is assembled and they make the trip to the abandoned warehouse. Neal's not allowed inside and neither is Peter on the grounds that it's his wife.

Twenty minutes. That how long it takes. It's the longest twenty minutes in the whole of the universe. At the first sound of gunfire, Neal jumps clear off the ground and Peter flinches. Neal keeps telling Peter that El is fine, fine, fine, fine… He says it so many times he starts to question to appropriateness of the word. Then it's over and El is being carried out and taken to the ambulance and Peter is right there with her.

Neal cannot approach. He's too taken aback by the sight of Elizabeth's right eye. It's black and swollen and must be very painful. The paramedic makes an all clear sign at Peter who immediately takes his wife in his arms and holds her like he's afraid she'll float away. He kissed her forehead and she clings to him.

_I love you…_

_And this is the only way I know how to say it._

The first time they make love, it's unforgettable. Peter caresses him from head to toe and kisses him everywhere. Neal melts beneath him and can only hang on as Peter enters him, slowly and surely. It's an experience so different from all their other encounters. Peter still nips at his lips and bites at his ear, but the deceptive gentleness of it makes Neal cry out. He murmurs things to Peter and grips his back and pants in his ear. Peter chuckles deep in his chest and let's Neal lose himself. Afterwards, they lay in the dark and fall asleep curled close together.

The next morning, when Neal wakes up, Peter is already getting dressed. He sits up and tries to rub away the sleepiness. Peter is buttoning his shirt.

"We've got to get to the office soon. You should get dressed."

Neal looks up at him and yawns in his general direction before slumping back onto the bed. He groans as Peter swats at his feet in an attempt to get him up. Eventually Peter gives up and walks out of the room. Neal allows himself to drift back to sleep until Peter's shadow falls over him and the smell of coffee has him upright. He takes the offered cup and sips it.

"I'm going to read the paper. You get dressed," Peter says as he leans forward and plants a firm kisses on his partner's forehead. Neal makes a soft sound and gets back to the coffee.

_I love you…_

_And this moment is perfect._

He works too hard. They all agree on that. So, when Peter's birthday rolls around Neal suggests that they do something special. Elizabeth jumps on the band wagon almost immediately. They both know Peter won't take off for his birthday. He never has. So, they busy themselves with planning and plotting and dividing up the tasks. In the end they're very proud of their plan, proud of its simplicity and in the fact that Peter knows they're planning something and is in agony worrying over what it is. He goes to bed the night before his birthday shooting El suspicious looks.

In the morning Peter is relieved to wake to a birthday breakfast in bed. It's romantic and sweet and perfect. He relaxes and begins to think that he was worried for nothing…until he walks into work. Neal is leaning against the door of his office next to a rather large "Happy Birthday" banner taped to the clear wall. He marches up the stairs with every intention of telling Neal to take the damn sign down, but when he gets there the dazzling smile on his partner's face softens his anger. With quiet birthday wishes Neal offers Peter a blue frosted cupcake. He can't help the smile that spreads across his face and as he passes into his office he kisses Neal on the cheek.

Dinner is perfect. El and Neal do all the cooking while Peter, who has been banned from the room, watches from the doorway. Over dessert they surprise him with presents. El gives him a tie, a very nice tie that cost a lot more than Peter would ever be willing to spend, but it's beautiful and he loves it. Neal gives him a bottle of cologne, a very fine and expensive cologne and possible the greatest thing Peter's ever smelled. He kisses them both in gratitude.

Later, when it's no longer Peter's birthday, they are all reclining on the couch watching the end of a movie. Peter has his arms around both of them and when he turns his head and kisses Elizabeth's temple she snuggles closer to him. He turns and does the same to Neal who closes his eyes to the gentle pressure and intertwines his hand with Peter's.

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Reviews, please?


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